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[ Lord Mahavira's Twenty Seventh Birth
the karmas that still remain to mature up was reaped by it in the twenty seventh birth, because no body can ever attain Kevala-Jnana ( Omniscience ) or salvation without reaping the full fruit of the karmas that he had done in his previous lives. Even such a great ascetic as Bahubali could not embrace omniscience until and unless he sacrificed his mean respectability. On the contrary several examples may be cited where omniscience came as soon as self-importance was relinquished. To put in a nutshell the feelings of self-importance and pride are very dangerous, and the people should be on their guard, otherwise they shall have to taste the bitter fruit thereof.
After showing the bitterness of the fruit of pride, we shall here say something about the fruit of self-control and penances turned into the form of a Nidana (i.e. remunerative hankering ) The soul of Lord Mahavira had practised selfcontrol as best as it could in its previous lives. It had subjugated both body and mind by austere penances. But then one fit of anger was enough to turn all its well earned fruit of penances into a Nidana. This was like a bargain in which a fool exchanges his precious stones and jewels with pieces of glass and shells. The soul eventually got the kingdom of the three khandas of Bharata-kshetra instead of Kevala-jnana which leads to salvation. Also the abominable infernal tortures that it had to suffer after death as a consequence of enjoying royal pleasures are beyond description. But for the Nidana, it would not have taken birth with the name of Triprishtha and after that, would not have to suffer horrible infernal tortures. :. As already said, 'Nidana’ is a desire to taste the fruit of good and righteous penances etc. performed by a man,for
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